Demon of the Mediterranean
by Violet Horizon
Summary: AU Captain Sebastian Michaelis is the most wanted pirate in the Mediterranean. When he kidnaps the son of a Roman senator for ransom, the senator will make sure that the notorious pirate meets his end, or will he?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji **

**A/N: Hi, this here is yet another period AU fic, but this time it's set during the Ancient Roman period. Yes, there were pirates back then incase you were wondering. Coincidently when I was researching, I discovered that pirates during that time found it more profitable and easier to ransom. So they usually kidnapped upper class people to get more money from their families instead of just selling them to a market. I'll likely incorporate more historical stuff here to make it more interesting, plus ancient Rome and pirates are always cool to learn about anyways so there's that. ****  
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**Warnings: Violence/torture, smut and some OOCness, but I'll try to keep the ****characters in character for the most part. **

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A violent torrent of rain slammed onto the deck, beating down the scarred backs of three men bleeding from their gasping mouths and broken bodies. The men were hunched over, flinching from the cold water stinging their open wounds. Ropes bounded their hands that lacked oxygen from the intense tightness. They could barely move their digits due to how numb they felt. Their knees were buckled together, remaining stationed on the damp wood. Their bare feet were also numb and ached to move, but any effort would be reckless.

Another man stood before the prisoners, casually slapping the end of a whip in his hand. The man looked down at them with a snarky grin and remorseless eyes, enjoying every minute of their suffering. Every lash that was evoked upon made the man laugh and the prisoners to whimper and squirm. They prayed inaudibly for the pain to stop while tears rushed down their soiled faces.

"It takes a lot of guts to try and escape us." The man remarked coldly. "That's very foolish."

"Oh, please, stop!" One man begged while blood fell from his quivering lips. "Just let us go already! Just please let us go!"

"Let you go?" The chuckling man asked, tilting his head to the side and tapping his chin. "I don't think the Captain would like that . . .ay, Captain?"

The prisoners flinched when they heard approaching footfalls stomping the wood. The beating rain was ceasing so the footfalls became clearer. The men kept their heads down and their breathing hitched when the footfalls halted. After a moment, the men dared to pick their heads up and finally look at the Captain.

Dark copper eyes glared down at the group and they shuddered, unable to emit the smallest sound. The Captain revealed a small smirk, though it was vaguely seen through the curtain of rain.

"That's correct," the Captain confirmed. "After all, who says that you won't get help if I let you three go?"

"We won't! We swear!" The men cried, their voices tore from their throats and their lungs burnt, struggling to collect oxygen once they returned to breath in the cold salty air.

"Hmmm," the Captain pondered, but didn't ponder long since he soon drew out his sword from his sheath. "I'm afraid that won't happen. You see, I don't just simply allow my prisoners to leave . . .I either sell them off to a market, or kill them if they attempt to escape. What did you expect from the captain of the Dark Crow?" He inquired slowly, his icy tone rippled uncomfortably throughout their bodies. "It doesn't appear that you know me well enough to understand my intentions for scum like you."

The men fell silent and they exchanged wary glances before another bravely spoke up, but did so quietly.

"Y—you're Captain Sebastian Michaelis . . ." The man gulped heavily. "The . . .the Demon. . . of the Mediterranean."

The Captain smiled fully and he bowed his head in a sort of mocking gesture. "My apologizes, it appears that you do know about me then." Sebastian then brought his sword to stroke the trembling skin of the man's neck. The blade felt ghastly cold and the man flinched when the metal took off a sliver of skin, allowing beads of blood to drip onto the sword.

"Then you should be familiar of my choice of execution." Sebastian noted, now keeping the blade steady and collecting the blood that was now getting mixed by the dying rain. "As you should know . . .I like to keep it short and simple. Thanks to the rain, there won't be much of a clean up. Which is good because I just got this deck scrubbed."

"Oh, God . . ." the man mumbled under his breath, right before his head was swiftly sliced off of his body. The man's body slumped forward while his head rolled across the slippery wood before it stopped. The man's mouth hung open, frozen in place along with his bulging eyes that faced the dark sky.

The remaining prisoners felt their blood run cold and they couldn't look up at the Captain whom raised his sword again. They breathed heavily and shut their eyes while their bodies convulsed uncontrollably. They couldn't look up at those narrow eyes burning into them. Nor could they see that haughty smile that the Captain bore when he brought down the sword.

Blood shot in the air before falling onto the wood, but the rain quickly cleansed it. The bodies were soon dropped overboard, emitting splashes that were surpassed by the roaring waves that rocked the ship from side to side.

Sebastian watched his crewmember get rid of the bodies while he promptly cleaned off his sword. The rain was doing most of the work, but Sebastian wanted to make sure that every speck of blood was off of his blade. When he was done, Sebastian glanced down at his sword and vaguely saw his reflection glaring back at him.

"How exactly did the prisoners escape?" Sebastian inquired out of curiosity. His tone ever so calm and collected, though there was a hint of suspicion surfacing.

"The cell was broken open," the crewmember briefly replied without a moment's hesitation. "But I caught them before they could get on the lifeboats."

"Broken open?" Sebastian echoed, now eyeing the crewmember peculiarly. His calmness was starting to slip while he asked. "In what way?"

"The latch was knocked off of the bars somehow, it must've been rusted." The crew member stated, shrugging indifferently and scratched the back of his head. "Looks like we need to replace it."

"Grey . . ." Sebastian muttered, keeping a stern stare on the other man who wasn't fazed by the glare. "Don't act so casual about this, you need to make sure that the cells are sturdy enough to hold the prisoners."

"Yeah, yeah, but this was only one time." Grey remarked, giving another nonchalant shrug to his captain's displeasure.

"And it will be the last time." Sebastian proclaimed strictly and then turned on his heel, sliding his sword back in its sheath.

"Certainly, Captain." Grey promised, bowing his head with respect, but Sebastian saw it as a more sarcastic act, though he didn't react. Instead, Sebastian only glanced at Grey briefly by the corner of his eye before he retired to his cabin. Grey watched him go with pursed lips and a raised eyebrow, as if he couldn't comprehend how crucial it was for the cells to be durable. But Grey only dismissed it and turned his attention to the raging sea below.

The waves relentlessly tossed and turned, throwing itself at the ship to try and push it over. However, the great vessel mustered the strength to withstand the storm. Grey couldn't see anything in the water. It was pitch black and the bodies weren't seen anymore. Grey presumed that sharks had likely captured them in their jaws and dragged them down below to feast. Grey smirked to himself with the thought in mind, and soon left the deck as the storm prolonged for a while longer.

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**A/N: Short chap is short but it's more of a preview and I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, thanks~ **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi, I'm happy to see that this fic is already doing well, I was afraid that it wouldn't. Thanks for the support and keep them coming. Fair warning for this chap, there's some body horror/violent death just to let you know. Though I could've said that there was going to be beheadings in the first chap, but I wanted to leave that as a surprise, and I already did say there was going to be violence/torture in this fic too. There won't be dark materials in every chap, but I'll give out fair warnings when there's something. **

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Sebastian tilted his chair and leaned back into it. His eyes furrowed while he delved deep in his thoughts. His lips pursed with concentration and his body rocked subtly against the leaning chair. The chair wobbled but maintained balance, supporting the weight of the contemplating captain.

In front of him was his desk that was neatly organized with parchments of paper piled neatly in the center. A compass was placed at the edge of the desk, pointing eastward and was tilting to the left as the ship steadily maneuvered. The ship's rocky movements was evident, but was tolerable to the crew working on the deck and the captain seated in his cabin.

"Captain?"

A small knock came at the door and Sebastian immediately acknowledged it. The wooden door creaked open and Grey stepped in, bowing his head first before approaching his captain.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Sebastian leaned forward; folding his hands on the desk while his forearms lay firm. "you know how it disappoints me that we lost not one, but three prisoners." Sebastian remarked slowly.

"We're heading back to Rome, and I want you and Phipps to go into the city and find at least one person worth of value. Now I'm just asking for one person, so that shouldn't be a problem, now will it?" Sebastian eyed Grey questionably, making sure he's aware of this task and to not screw up.

"Not at all, Captain." Grey assured. "Phipps and I will get to it once we land. Is there anyone is particular that you want?"

"It should be someone from the upper class, I'm getting tired of these peasants that we keep brining up. " Sebastian remarked with a small frown, "if it's an upper-class man, then we can get more money off of him."

"Very well, Captain." Grey agreed, a smile forming on his lips while he considered the offer. He was sure that he will do well on this task. After all, he was a member of the Dark Crow. They were notorious for getting what they wanted, so kidnapping one person shouldn't be a problem.

x~x~x~x~x

Curtains brushed to the side, allowing sunlight to pass through the open window and filter in the bedchamber. Small groans of protest emitted underneath a pile of sheets. The fabrics scrunched together, forming a ball and the figure underneath shuffled grudgingly.

"Master Ciel, you should wake up now."

"Ugh," said person groaned and peeked his head out of his cocoon of sheets. Ciel was in his late teens and had teal colored hair that was messy from the bed. His dark blue eyes glared at his servant whom was lightening the room. This was much to Ciel's annoyance and he kept shielding his eyes from the sun's harsh glare.

"I can get up myself, Claude." The teen hissed before throwing off the sheets for the servant to pick up. Claude eyed the fallen sheets briefly before he walked across the room to get to a chest.

"If I allow that, then you would be sleeping in all day, and your father wouldn't want that." Claude casually noted while he rummaged through the chest. He then pulled out a tunic for the reluctant teen to put on. The tunic was white with a light blue border crossing the sleeves and collar.

"Father wouldn't notice anything." Ciel bitterly remarked, now sitting on the edge of his bed. "He's always at council meetings."

"Actually today he'd like you to join him at the coliseum." Claude stated, gesturing the teen to stand so he could slip the tunic over him. Ciel stared at him peculiarly, taken aback by the words.

"What's going on there?" Ciel asked; his curiosity somewhat piqued with his eyebrows scrunching together.

"There's going to be an execution," Claude answered, now draping a blue toga over Ciel's shoulder, followed by tying a threaded belt around his waist. "It should be entertaining, and your father enjoys your company."

"He does, huh?" Ciel's nose wrinkled at the proposal. Of all the things his father wants to join him, an execution at the coliseum was the best option? Well, it sounded much better than joining him at a meeting and listening to a bunch of old people talk for hours on end. Those were always excruciatingly boring.

Ciel sighed, remembering a time that he ended up falling asleep and was scolded by his father afterwards. It wasn't exactly a good bonding time, and Ciel didn't think that watching an execution was any better.

"Certainly, Young Master. Now, I prepared breakfast for you." Claude said once he was done dressing and tidying the teen up. He led Ciel out of his bedchamber and they ventured down a short walkway that led into the courtyard.

The courtyard housed a flourishing garden and a couple of stone benches. Marble columns supported the cloister, which surrounded the courtyard with bougainvillea flowers adorning the rich architecture. Claude led Ciel around the courtyard while the teen glanced over at the flowers hanging above him. The sun's morning light caught onto the bright pink petals, causing a faint glow.

Claude's attention flew up as well and he plucked out of the flowers. He twirled the broken stem between his fingers and smiled slightly.

"Should I dress your bowl of fruit with these flowers?" Claude inquired

"There are likely bugs on them." Ciel deadpanned, giving Claude a cold stare. "Do you wish for me to find bugs in my food?"

Claude immediately bowed his head regrettably. "My apologizes, Young Master."

"Humph," Ciel huffed, striding ahead of Claude whom dropped the flower and followed his master inside.

Before entering the dining room to eat, Ciel stepped into the bathroom to get his face and hands washed. After that, they entered the dining room and a small assortment of food was already set on the table. Ciel propped himself on a couch, pulled his legs up and rested his chin on his hand while his elbow dove into the cushion. Ciel eyed Claude who poured a bottle of honeyed wine in a glass, then stopped before there was too much.

Claude then handed the teen his drink and he took a small sip. The wine tasted sweet, thought there was a somewhat bitter aftertaste that made him frown. Ciel handed the wine back to the servant and he soon brought out a dish of bread and pieces of fish. Claude scooped the fish scraps onto the bread and fed it to Ciel. The bread was plain, but the fish made up for it since it provided a salty taste that sparked the teen's taste buds.

"Water." Ciel ordered, and Claude immediately handed him a glass of the cold liquid. Ciel drained down the salty sensation pricking his tongue and handed the glass back.

"Fruit." Ciel gestured to the bowl filled with grapes and berries. Claude obligingly served that as well while Ciel casually lounged on the couch.

While Ciel ate, other servants came by to clean up the table and one handed Ciel a cloth to wipe his mouth with. When he was done, Ciel ordered the servants to finish cleaning up and he shortly departed the room.

Ciel found his father, Vincent, reading a scroll in the study. While Vincent was reading, a servant was massaging his feet that were propped on a small stool. Vincent glanced up to see Ciel and he smiled slightly towards him.

"I was wondering when you were going to get up." Vincent chuckled lightly, causing a small frown from his son. "Anyhow, I'm sure Claude told you about today, right?"

"You want to take me to the coliseum." Ciel said.

"Yes," Vincent nodded; he dismissed the servant and walked over to his son. He carried himself well with an assertive but calm air to him. His tone was soft spoken while he continued, "Pirates are becoming a huge problem here, the sea is unsafe and it's feared the land will be too. The Emperor himself is disgusted by them, and he will be at the coliseum watching the execution of a recently captured pirate."

"Do you know what the execution will be?" Ciel asked.

"I'm not sure, but we should get going now. It's almost time." Vincent suggested.

x~x~x~x~x

People packed the amphitheater quickly, eager to watch some entertainment. The place was soon filled up, but Ciel and Vincent were still able to get good seats since the upper class citizens always did. They were seated at the podium, which was the closest section to the arena floor where all the entertainment takes place.

Ciel's shoulder was tapped and he saw his father gesturing him to stand up. Ciel saw the Emperor approaching and everyone around immediately saluted him. The Emperor was a tall, intimidating looking man that practically hovered over everyone even while they stood. However, when the Emperor saw Vincent, a smile graced his wrinkled face which surprised Ciel. He didn't know if he should try to make eye contact but ended up just looking at his father.

"Ah, Senator Phantomhive, it's a pleasure seeing you on this fine day." the Emperor greeted, his voice sounded gruff underneath his curly white beard. He then glanced over at Ciel whom feigned a flinch at the acknowledgment. "And I see that you brought your son along?"

"Yes," Vincent placed a hand on Ciel's shoulder, "this is Ciel,"

"It's a privilege to meet you, Sire." Ciel said, bowing his head shortly with respect.

"Are you excited for today's event?" The Emperor asked curiously. "I imagine it to be greatly entertaining for a boy your age."

"Certainly," Ciel said, though he wasn't exactly sure how to address his reaction to it. He never watched a public execution before, but he'd watched other events here such as gladiator fights and chariot racing. But Ciel was well aware that this was far, far different. Wait, did the Emperor call him a _boy_?

Ciel dismissed it and turned his attention to the arena area to see the prisoner. He was naked and trembling with hands tied to a wooden post. His legs struggled to support himself since they were at the brink of collapsing, He looked around worriedly with eyes darting from left to right and back. There was nothing in the area except for him, but then Ciel saw someone walking to a lever that kept a iron gate closed. Something was behind the gate, however, Ciel couldn't see due to the sheer darkness behind. But when the gate finally opened up, two ravenous lions came lingering out. The person whom opened the gate scurried off before the lions took any note of him.

The lions eagerly licked their mouths and saliva dribbled off their tongues. Their eyes glared over at the prisoner who was now in a state of hysteria. He yanked his arms, attempting to free his hands, but only caused them to rub uncomfortably into the wood. The prisoner's face contorted to absolute terror while watching the hungry beasts advancing towards him. The only thing that the poor prisoner could do was scream.

However, the spectators laughed and cheered, and their glees intensified when the lions ruthlessly sprung onto the prisoner. His shrieks tore from his throat as pain scorched throughout his pierced body. His limbs were brutally ripped from him and were instantly gnawed on. The lions cracked bones and easily tore through flesh like it was nothing. Their mouths were smothered in blood and they roared and growled, continuing to maul and tear through the dying man whose voice couldn't be reached.

Ciel was probably the only one who wasn't cheering or laughing. He stared at the gruesome sight with disgust and he felt sickness troubling his stomach. He just had breakfast and feared that he was going to spew it all out. Ciel held it in and breathed in and out slowly, trying to stay collected with a straight face.

Ciel then glanced over at the crowds, but all he saw were lit eyes, widened smiles, clapping hands and stomping feet. Boosts of laughter rung through out the arena with no hints of remorse or sympathy. Though Ciel couldn't help but thank the noises for blocking out the sharp sounds of bones shattering and the squelchy rip of flesh torn open.

He looked over to his father and saw him smiling, but he wasn't booming with laughter. Vincent was amused nonetheless, but he had a composed attitude that outweighed the crowd's boisterous behavior.

Fortunately, the event didn't last that long. The lions were left chewing the bones of the man who was nothing more than a bloody carcass. Ciel couldn't look at the corpse, but the sickness wasn't going away. Luckily, his hopes surfaced when he saw the lions being led back through the gate, leaving long trails of blood behind.

Ciel sighed with great relief and he shut his eyes. When he had the opportunity to stand up, his legs trembled from the horror still engraved in the back of his mind. Ciel shook his head, wanting to forget it and focus on leaving. But before taking another step forward, a large hand clasped his shoulder.

"Did you enjoy that?" The Emperor asked, smiling down at Ciel whom was taken back by surprise at the suddenness. The Emperor's curious eyes sparked glints of optimism, it was well clear that he had enjoyed it very much so.

"Oh, yes, Sir." Ciel said quickly, feigning a smile while he lied. He smacked himself mentally for lying to the Emperor, but how would he react if the teen told the truth? Would he get thrown with the lions too?

"Ah, excellent," The Emperor remarked with his head held high, showcasing his pride without any denial as he continued. "there shall be more entertainment soon once we deal with the rest of those pirates. They have been nothing but trouble, but I'll make sure that every last one of them is captured and killed."

He chuckled to himself, pleased at the wondrous thought that animated his features. "Ah, but there's one pirate that I _desperately yearn_ to see his head on a spit." The Emperor's features drastically changed to utter disdain and his eyes flared with anger.

"Who's that?" Ciel asked curiously.

"You might've heard of him," The Emperor practically hissed out the words as he said: "he's know as the Demon of the Mediterranean . . .Captain Sebastian Michaelis. He has murdered hundreds without mercy and tales of his slaughters are everywhere.

"There are few who have actually seen him, and they say that he doesn't act human, which is where he gets his nickname." The Emperor stated but his pride didn't falter. "But soon, we'll bring him to justice along with the rest of those thieves. Now, I best be going. It was a pleasure meeting you today."

"It was an honor, Sir." Ciel said, bowing his head once more. The Emperor smiled slightly and turned to Vincent.

"It was pleasure seeing you too, Senator." The Emperor acknowledged-receiving a quick bow from Vincent-and his many guards escorted him out.

Ciel sighed, making sure that the Emperor was out of sight before he said. "I wasn't expecting him to talk to me at all. . ."

"He socializes a lot when he's in a really cheerful mood." Vincent noted. "You did a good job talking to him."

"Did you think I was going to screw up?" Ciel inquired, raising his eyebrows as he eyed his father.

"No, but showing any signs of improperness towards the Emperor could get you into serious trouble." Vincent sternly specified.

"Right," Ciel mumbled, reminded of the Emperor's question towards him about the event. Getting mauled by the lions sounded plausible and his guilt for lying dismissed.

"Now, shall we?" Vincent gestured forward and they headed out. Their transportation were litters-couches supported by poles that were carried by servants. The servants waited patiently for their masters, and once they mounted, they were off. The servants raised the litters over their shoulders, showcasing the nobles whom glided over everyone around.

Vincent was a few feet ahead of Ciel as they traveled down the bustling street. The street was crowded, but the servants maneuvered through while avoiding the hundreds of people walking by. It didn't help that it was hot out and the sun was beating down on them. Nonetheless, the servant's continued their duty onward no matter the circumstance.

Ciel rubbed sweat off his forehead and groaned to himself, he deliberated on taking a nap to ease his worriedness. But there was something else troubling that foiled a few minutes of slumber. Despite that there were hundreds upon hundreds of people minding their own business and walking in different directions, Ciel had the suspicious feeling that he was being watched.

The feeling crawled into his skin and he looked around warily, but didn't find any eyes directed towards him. Maybe he was just imagining it? Maybe he was getting worked up of what had happened at the coliseum? Whatever it was, it wasn't going to go away and he was left wide-awake and alert.

x~x~x~x~x

Ciel lay in his bed, staring up at the low ceiling while he threw and caught a ball in the air. His arm rested behind his head, which lulled lazily from side to side. He contemplated sleep several times, but the attempts were far from promising and his agitation only worsen. Ciel huffed, idly straining the hand that pressured the rough fabric of the ball. He tossed the ball at the opposite wall, causing it to bounce off and rolled across the floor. Ciel threw his legs over the bed, letting them hang for a while before he hopped off.

He exited his room, grateful to not find Claude or any other walking by to check on him. Ciel had kept himself in his room for at least an hour and could've stayed in for a little longer, but decided to catch some fresh air in hopes to clear his head. He walked out of the house that sat on top of a hill overlooking the city. He venture down a stone path that meandered down the hill and led way onto a narrow road. The road trailed to the city, which wasn't that far off, but not much noise could be reached from where Ciel wandered.

The sun continued to blaze down, but the shadows of the trees lining the road provided cool shades. Ciel walked alongside the road, his sandals crushed the dirt and grass and he mindlessly kicked across broken pieces of stone that were chipped from the road. Ciel didn't travel too far before he decided to turn back. It was best to return to the house before the servants and his father question where he went.

Ciel turned on his heel and started to head home, but then halted when he saw a wagon stationed on the side of the road. Half of the vehicle was hidden in a tree's shade, but Ciel could make out the rest of it. It was small and made from cheap wood, lazily placed with a donkey at the rein.

The teen had heard and seen other wagons passing by, but why did this one stop in the middle of the country? The wagon had stopped recently, but there didn't appear to be anyone else around who could've driven it. Ciel advanced slowly towards the wagon, looking around wordlessly to discover that he was indeed alone. Ciel stared down at the donkey and then peered into the wagon, but the inside was shrouded in shadow. Ciel frowned, concluding that he should just leave and have someone else deal with it.

Ciel was about to turn, but flinched when a hand unexpectedly snaked it's way to curl under his neck. Ciel gasped and pressure tightened around his windpipe, preventing him from evoking any sounds except for strained whimpers. Ciel's widened eyes darted to the right and he dared to look, but his neck was restrained.

"Now, now, let's make this easier on us before you start struggling." A chilling voice said behind before his hand struck the side of Ciel's neck, knocking him out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi, so it's almost 2:00 AM here and I'm falling asleep, but I needed to get this updated since it's been delayed long enough.**

**Edit: Next chap won't be updated until next week since I'm going on vacation and won't have any internet during that time.**

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"I think we did good, if I do say so myself." Grey cockily smirked, binding Ciel's hands and legs with rope. He made sure that his limbs were tightly bounded despite that Ciel was unconscious. It didn't look like he would wake up for a while, which gave Grey and his partner, Phipps advantage to get back to the ship without concern.

Phipps approached Grey after making sure they were in the clear. He glanced down at his gleeful partner and then the restrained teen. Phipps nudged Ciel's limp leg to make sure that he was well out and his attention returned to Grey.

"We should hurry back to the ship, we can't keep our Captain waiting any longer." Phipps suggested.

"Right," Grey agreed and started dragging Ciel towards the wagon. Grey didn't care that dirt was being collected in Ciel's once cleaned clothes and soiling his hair. What mattered was getting the teen in the wagon before anyone came along. While Grey was doing this he muttered, "this kid better be worth something good, it was a pain finding someone that would meet the Captain's standards."

"I'm sure he will," Phipps took Ciel's legs and helped Grey get him inside the wagon. They made sure that Ciel was well hidden before rechecking the area again. "That kid clearly is a noble, and that's what the Captain wants. So let's get moving now before any suspicion arises."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time." Grey rolled his eyes and pulled himself onto the wagon's bench. "Go inside the wagon and make sure the kid doesn't get up. If he does, punch him or something. I don't want to deal with any ruckus."

"Right," Phipps climbed into the wagon, disappearing inside too. Grey looked over his shoulder and then pulled a hood over his head, hiding his face. He snapped the rein and the donkey promptly dragged the wagon along the street.

They headed back to the city where they blended well within the crowds of people. Grey grew agitated that the streets were busy, but he managed to lead the donkey through despite the trouble of maneuvering the wagon in all directions. Grey wanted to hurry, but they couldn't cause any suspicion. So Grey just endured the slowness of it all and hoped that the captain doesn't lose his patience.

Phipps on the other hand was polishing a knife with a cloth, unaware of the subtle shuffling from the stirring teen. Ciel's head jerked up in alert, but flinched when he saw one of his captors sitting across from him. Fortunately, Phipps wasn't paying attention, but Ciel remained still for precaution. Ciel couldn't identify him well since a hood covered a portion of his face. But Ciel became frantic when realizing ropes restrained him, but he dared not make a sound despite the urge.

Ciel's eyes darted to his left and saw the second captor driving the wagon. They were now farther into the city and were heading to a port. Ciel could vaguely see ships in the close distance. He squinted his eyes, wondering where he was being taken too. He looked back at the captor across from him.

Phipps was now twisting his knife around, checking to see if there was any more dust smudged on it. He frowned faintly when he did spot something so he returned to cleaning his knife. The knife had a handle made from gold and tiny gems were embedded into it. It was peculiar that someone whom was dressed in a dirty old cloak carried such a valuable item.

Fairly soon, the wagon stopped moving and Grey got off of the wagon, disappearing momentarily from sight. Ciel heard him talking to someone, but couldn't comprehend what they were saying.

"Phipps," Grey came back, now lifting up a large barrel in his arms. "Get the kid in the barrel, quickly."

Phipps quietly nodded, took the barrel and brought it into the wagon. Ciel shut his eyes, though made it look like he was still knocked out. However his heart was being fast when his body was moved off the floor and pushed into the barrel. He flinched when his shoulder jabbed into the bottom and he lay there lopsided, unable to move in the claustrophobic space. The lid slammed shut and Ciel was left in darkness, saved for a few peepholes around the wood.

Ciel peeked out of one, but didn't gain a clear view of anything as the barrel was ruthlessly tossed around and rolled. Ciel grumbled and cursed inaudibly by the lack of care the captors endured to the head slammed into the wood repeatedly and a migraine was stirring, but that of course wasn't his only problem.

The barrel was then thrown and crashed into something, causing Ciel to hit his head again from the impact. He groaned and fought the ropes bonding his hands, but it was no use. He did the same with his legs, this time slamming his feet against the wood and evoked loud thuds.

"Oh, looks like someone's awake." Grey said; his hand playfully patted the lid of the barrel. "You should calm down though if you don't want to exhaust yourself."

Ciel responded with another kick at the barrel, but then fell silent. He then felt rocking and became aware of the sound of waves hitting against something. They were on a boat and sailing off to somewhere. Ciel gulped and felt his heart pounding so loud that it could surpass the beating waves.

The trip across the water was drawn out by a silence that left Ciel even more overwhelm and wary. His captors didn't speak at all, and Ciel didn't bother trying to break through his bonds. It would've been reckless, so all he could do was stay where he was and remain calm.

The rocking of the boat didn't ease him. The barrel kept rolling or bumping upwards, which didn't do well for Ciel's stomach. It was rocky all the way through, and when it finally stopped, Ciel glanced out of the hole to see where they were. He saw the side of a ship, but didn't get a good look as he was quickly moved and rolled around again. He heard the captors talking amongst themselves as the boat was being pulled upwards. The barrel was then tossed again, but was then caught by someone before being settled on the ground.

"Get the Captain." Came Grey's voice, loud and clear.

Sunlight flooded into the barrel when the lid was taken off. Ciel was immediately blinded by the light and couldn't see anything as he was forcibly yanked out. He was then pushed to the ground, groaning at the pain coursing through his body that had been scrunched from the barrel. Before Ciel could pull himself up, he was shoved back down by Grey's foot, which lay firm on the teen's shoulder.

Ciel groaned and peered at his surroundings after he became adjusted to the light. He was on top of a ship's deck and many people were staring back at him, including another teen close to his age. Before anyone said anything, all movement was ceased except for the sound of feet marching across the wood. A long shadow gradually loomed over the teen, practically blocking out the sun as Ciel was trapped in the captain's shadow.

"My, my . . .you captured a boy this time. And not just a random one either judging by his clothes. Let me see your face, boy." A foot nudged the bottom of Ciel's chin and tilted his head back. Frightful cerulean eyes met hardened copper and Ciel couldn't break contact, nor could he feel any sensation of his bonded limbs.

The teen felt entirely helpless and small under the cold gaze of the captain, and he feared that this was it for him. He saw a sword strapped around the captain's waist, and dread immediately sunk into his stomach.

_Am I going to die?_ Ciel thought to himself, not knowing where to look as other pairs of eyes stared down at his crumbled form. The air suddenly turned exceedingly humid and dry and sweat raced down his pale face. His clothes were sticking to his skin and it was becoming difficult to breathe. Ciel's mouth dropped, wanting to say something, anything to see if he could try and get out, but what good will speaking do? He'll probably be laughed at for being foolish, and the laughter would be the last thing he would hear.

However, it was quiet as Sebastian examined the motionless teen whom kept his eyes astray. The captain was contemplating while everyone else just stood there, motionless as well while their attention fell to both the teen and the captain. Grey had released his foot from Ciel to give his captain more room to observe.

Sebastian then took note of Ciel's tied hands and feet; his limbs were white due to how tightly they were bound. He then undid the knots around Ciel's feet and forced him to stand. Ciel nearly toppled, but the captain had a strong hold on his arm before he was pushed over to Grey.

"Take him to the cell." Sebastian ordered before turning away.

"W—wait," Ciel finally spoke up, surprised himself that he managed to speak. "What are you going to do with me? Why am I here?" He asked urgently in a desperate voice.

Sebastian turned around with a subtle chuckle passing his lips. He walked back over to Ciel and coiled a hand around the teen's chin. He tilted it back so they were meeting eye-to-eye again to Ciel's reluctance.

"You're our honorable guest here on the Dark Crow, and then you'll be sold off to a market. Though . . ." Sebastian then paused before continuing. "We could have your beloved family pay ransom for you instead, I think that will be more fun." A cocky smile returned to spread the captain's lips. "If you behave well, I promise that no harm will be done to you."

Ciel gulped down the lump that was caught in his throat. He didn't know how to respond and couldn't believe that the captain was saying this as if it was true. That cocky smile of his told otherwise, and Ciel refused to believe any promise that he was offered.

"Now," Sebastian released Ciel's chin and waved off a hand. "Grey shall take you below deck. Everyone else," he glanced back at his crew and grimaced that they weren't working. "Continue your tasks."

"Yes, Captain!"

x~x~x~x~x

A hole torn from the wood allowed a ray of sunlight to spill into the cell that only housed a bed. The light formed a small halo on the crown of Ciel's head, while a few candles that Grey had lit highlighted the rest of the humid room. There were other cells around, but they were all empty. Ciel wondered if that was a good thing. . .

The wax from the candles were quickly melting just like the teen's thoughts of any chance of escaping..Grey made sure that the cell was securely locked before he left the teen alone with the sliver of light and candles that didn't provide much comfort. The only grateful thing Grey did was unknot the ropes that had strained the teen's hands.

Ciel lay on the bed that he was given, fortunately there was a sheet for him to cover himself in the cold night, but he didn't need it now while the humidity didn't cease. There wasn't a pillow though so Ciel used his forearm as support for his head.

Across from him was a ladder that led up to the deck. The latched door above the ladder soon opened, and Ciel flinched, shrinking back in fear of who it might be. But then his worries dismissed when he saw that it was only the teen from earlier. He was carrying a plate with bread and Ciel's mouth immediately watered.

"Oh, here you are." The teen said, slipping the plate through a narrow slot where food went into the cell. Ciel immediately snatched the bread and took a bite out of it, but his face instantly contorted by the extremely stale taste.

"Ah, sorry." The latter scratched his head. "It's all we got so far, but it's better than nothing."

"Ugh. . . ." Ciel grimaced at the bread and looked over at the teen. He wore a straw hat that covered up his blonde hair. His wide green eyes showed how youthful he was, and he held a kind smile that could brighten the room.

"My name's Finnian, but you can just call me Finny." the teen said, pointing to himself while he spoke. "What's yours?"

"Ciel . . ." Ciel mumbled and took another bite in spite of his displeasure to the taste. He had to satisfy his grumbling stomach somehow.

"Ciel. . . that's a nice name." Finny commented in a cheerful tone. "I'm sorry 'bout your treatment here, everyone here can be quite harsh . . . thankfully Captain Sebastian will let you go instead of selling you off, he rarely ever does that."

"Wait . . ." Ciel trailed, gulping down another piece, but this time it was harder to swallow. "Captain Sebastian? Captain . . .Sebastian Michaelis?" He asked slowly, remembering the name of the wanted pirate the Emperor talked about.

"Why yes," Finny didn't hesitate to answer, which brought Ciel to nearly drop the bread from shock. "But the Captain can be nice if you get on his good side. Just don't do anything rash."

"Alright . . ." Ciel mumbled; he didn't know how that makes anything better. He was now a prisoner on a pirate ship. How was anything going to make him feel better? He just wanted to be back home, but who knows when that would be. Ciel dropped his gaze and sat back on the bed, keeping his head down. His stomach growled for more food, but he didn't bother eating the rest of the bread.

"I'm sorry for this," Finny said again, bringing Ciel to look back at him. "There isn't much I can do, but I can at least make sure that you're doing well. Captain Sebastian wouldn't want you to get sick."

"Heh," Ciel scoffed and turned to lay back on the bed. "If he doesn't want that, then he should've cleaned up this cell and provided better food."

". . . I'll see if there's anything else to give you then." Finny remarked quietly—acting as if this was his fault—and started up the ladder. "Won't be long, Ciel."

Ciel watched as Finny disappeared, leaving him alone with just the candles performing little dances. Ciel sighed and closed his eyes; wanting to sleep but the continuous growling of his stomach forbade it. So Ciel stayed awake, staring at the flickering candles that were sure to die out soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, I'm sorry that this took longer to update, I was on vacation and my computer was being annoying. . .but here's the chap now so please enjoy and review~ **

* * *

Ciel stared up at the ripped hole above him, listening to the sounds of feet beating the floorboard and muffled exchanges from the crew. Accompanying these sounds were the bangs of the waves constantly rocking the ship. The ship was far off into the sea now, and Ciel wondered where exactly they were heading.

There weren't any windows to catch a glimpse of the outside; the hole above him served him as his only source. He could see a patch of the now golden-red sky; it was now sundown. He had lost track of how long he had been locked in this cell, but the sky reminded him that it was hours. Hours of wondering if he really was to return home safely. The thought troubled him to no end and now the warm air had turned chilly to extend his discomfort. Ciel wrapped the sheet around him, the fabric was thin and it smelled dirty as if it hadn't been washed in months.

The candles had died out, leaving a thin line of smoke to float up shortly before disappearing. The teen hoped that he could get more candlelight soon since his remaining light above him was fading. What was also troubling was his stomach that couldn't keep quiet. What was taking Finny so long? He had been gone for hours and Ciel had been lying in bed doing absolutely nothing but worry for his life.

Ciel still didn't trust the captain despite Finny's words. Sebastian was a pirate, how could he have a good side? But Finny was a pirate too and he seemed nice. Wait, why is there a teen part of the Dark Crow's crew if he was so nice anyways? He could understand why his captors were . . . hopefully Ciel didn't have to come across them again.

The latched door squeaked open and Ciel swerved his head around. Finny came crawling down the ladder, but he didn't have any food with him to Ciel's disappointment. Finny looked tired considering the sweat trailing down his face and the low pants that he emitted. The teen wiped sweat off his face and gave Ciel a small apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I had to do lots of work up on the deck." Finny remarked, rubbing his arm that had a purplish mark blemishing the skin. It looked like he bruised it somehow but Ciel didn't question it.

"Anyways," Finny continued, hiding the injured arm behind his back. "I have good news and bad news . . .bad news is that I wasn't able to get you any fish since the ones that I caught were instantly stolen from me. Then I talked to the Captain about it and so the good news is that he wants you to have dinner with him in his cabin tonight."

Ciel's mouth immediately unhinged at the proposal. The teen tried to register this while a long silence drawn out, leaving Finny's smile to fall into an awkward one as he waited for Ciel's response.

"The captain . . .wants me to join him for dinner?" Ciel repeated; each word passed his lips slowly while he stared at Finny as if he'd grown two heads. "_Why?_" Ciel finished, blinking several times to emphasize his bewilderment.

"He didn't say, but you're going to be able to eat—"

"But I don't want to eat with him!" Ciel retorted, cutting a stunned Finny off. "I am not going to eat with a pirate!"

"Ciel," Finny hushed, his eyes darting from up above in fear that someone heard him. He looked back at Ciel worriedly and said softly, "You can't disobey the Captain's orders. They're absolute. If you don't do what he says, then . . ." Finny gulped and fiddled with his already sweaty hands nervously. "You'll get hurt. Please, trust me on this, Ciel. Just do what the Captain says, please." Finny begged, clasping his hands together pleadingly.

Ciel's eyebrows scrunched together, taken aback by the teen's words. "Why do you care so much about me? We rarely know each other."

"I know," Finny said, lowering his gaze. "But I like making new friends, and I want to be yours." The teen's smile returned, attempting for Ciel to do the same or at least feel assured.

"A friend, huh?" Ciel questioned with a small scoff, nearly rolling his eyes. "I'm not exactly the best person to get along with."

"Eh?" Finny pouted, sticking out his bottom lip. "You shouldn't say that about yourself."

"You don't know me." Ciel countered with a brief glare. "So stop saying these nonsensical things."

"Sorry," Finny mumbled and released a small sigh. "But you do have to follow the Captain's orders." He urged softly, persuading the teen to obey and understand that if he doesn't cooperate, he's going to face consequences.

Ciel stared at Finny wordlessly, annoyed about this ordeal and decided that he might as well get it over with. "Alright, I'll follow his orders."

"Good." Finny sighed with relief and wiped off some more sweat. "You'll see the Captain tonight, I'll take you to his cabin later."

"Fine." Ciel side eyed, at least it wasn't Grey or any other crewmember who had to escort him at least. But the teen still wasn't going to look forward to this.

x~x~x~x~x

The captain's cabin consisted of four rooms: the office, bedroom, restroom and dinning room. Finny first ushered Ciel through the office once they were called in. Ciel glanced over at the neatly organized desk before his attention turned to a door that Finny first came across to. On the other side were some incoherent sounds that stopped immediately once Finny knocked on the door.

Ciel watched nervously as the door handle turned and the door swung open, revealing Sebastian whom shortly glanced at Ciel and then Finny who instantly saluted him.

"You're excused." Sebastian waved Finny off and the teen nodded quietly. Finny briefly gave Ciel an ensuring look before disappearing.

"Come inside." Sebastian ordered Ciel without batting an eye and walked through the doorway. Ciel promptly followed the captain and the door shut behind them, emitting a loud thud that made Ciel cringe.

Ciel looked back at the closed door anxiously before he faced forward. The teen gasped quietly to see a large variety of food settled on top of a long wooden table. Sebastian sat down at the far end and gestured for Ciel to sit down also.

Ciel refused to make eye contact as he quietly walked to the chair in front of him and sat down. He scooted the chair forward and it squeaked as it slid across the floor. Ciel gulped, wondering if it was too loud, but Sebastian didn't say anything. It was rather unnerving that Sebastian hadn't said anything except for a few words.

Moreover, Ciel kept his attention on the inviting food. The food looked delicious, it was on par with the food back at home but Ciel couldn't help but feel skeptical about the alluring display. For all he knew, the food could've been stolen, or might even be poisonous. Ciel frowned slightly, he wanted to eat so badly though.

Sebastian then picked up a glass and gradually poured wine into it. The wine was blood red and splashed into the glass, but no drops flew out. The liquid then swirled around by the flick of the captain's hand. Its rich smell brought Ciel's attention, making him curious of its taste. But then his eyes finally fell onto Sebastian's, and Ciel's interest wavered.

"Why are you looking at me as if I poisoned the food? Do you think my intention was to kill you?" Sebastian inquired, continuing to swirl the glass in his hand. He leaned back into the chair, eyeing the teen with pursed lips. "I already sent out a letter to your family about the ransom, they would be saddened if they discover you dead instead. They would desire revenge, but I have enough people who'd want that anyways. I'm not the most wanted pirate for nothing." Sebastian took a sip of the wine and licked his upper lip in gratification.

"The Emperor certainly wants revenge." Ciel noted.

"I'm not at all surprised," Sebastian idly said, taking another sip. "I've conquered the sea for five years, the same span of time that the Emperor had reigned. So he should be quite upset that I've been a threat ever since he took the throne. Plus there's the fact that I'm likely more known than him. He hasn't done much as far as I know; perhaps capturing me would bring out some sort of reputation. But unfortunately, that would only be in his dreams." Sebastian chuckled lowly to himself, resting the glass back on the table.

Ciel raised a curious eyebrow, "so you really think that you won't get captured?"

"I never have, and never will." Sebastian gave off a haughty smirk and then acknowledged that the teen wasn't eating. He briefly gestured a hand forward towards the food. "Why don't you eat? You must be starving."

Ciel turned back to the food in front of him. His stomach pleaded with him as it ached and his mind also beckoned him too. So Ciel quietly tore off a chicken leg and leisurely bit off a small piece of the skin and meat. The chicken tasted like any other that Ciel had eaten; there was nothing wrong with it, so Ciel ate some more until he ended up chewing the bone.

The teen then stopped when realizing how ridiculous he looked, mentally slapping himself for allowing his hunger to get the best of him. He grimaced when he heard Sebastian chuckling and he glared at the captain.

"Eating a stale piece of bread in a cell was torturous for you, wasn't it?" Sebastian inquired with a smirk. "You must've been living in pure bliss back in Rome. You had absolutely no worries or limitations to your wealth. You had everything that you wanted, and now this will be the last time for a long while that you will get this luxury. Enjoy this while you still can. Think of it as a token of generosity."

"Generosity?" Ciel echoed, gulping down another scrap of meat.

"Of course," Sebastian said. "You're our honorable guest here."

"I'm a prisoner." Ciel muttered.

"Indeed you are." Sebastian didn't hesitate to say. "But I'll make sure that your stay here is at least suitable for you. I did say that no harm will be done to you, and I'm keeping my word."

"How can I trust you?" Ciel asked and dared to say: "You're a pirate. You're thieves, liars and murderers."

"You're right," Sebastian said with no quarrel. "I've lost count of how many people I've killed and how many cities and towns I've destroyed. I wouldn't expect you to trust me at first, bearing in mind that our first encounter involved you forced onto this ship against your will and acting like a scared mutt."

Ciel grimaced, twisting his hand into a tight fist. Sebastian eyed his hand but dismissed it as he said, "However, I would like you to cooperate with me. I've been having a lot of ill-mannered prisoners lately, and they've been winding up dead. Decapitated and thrown overboard to be more precise. It's tremendously annoying, and it would be tedious if you turn out the same as them." Sebastian remarked, giving Ciel a look that caused the teen's grimace to waver and his fist to loosen.

"So I want to do something different with you. Perhaps some kind of enjoyment that would make up for all of these mishaps." Sebastian concluded, bringing back his smirk. There was a strange glint in his eyes, and the candles surrounding the room practically made his eyes glow.

Ciel gulped down heavily and didn't know how to respond. He stared at the smiling captain apprehensively, bothered by what he was scheming in his head.

"Like what exactly?" Ciel asked; attempting to keep his composure, but that sly gaze that he was given overshadowed the strength that he struggled to preserve.

Sebastian's smile grew more and that glint in his eye suggested something that caused Ciel to shut his mouth and not speak. Sebastian got up from his chair and walked up to Ciel before clasping a hand onto his shoulder.

The teen's shoulder flinched at the touch and his head dropped down, refusing to make contact with the captain. Sweat started building in his brow and his heart was racing by how close the captain was to him. Sebastian leaned in until his breath was brushing up against the teen's neck.

"I'll have to think about it." Sebastian answered, his usual cold tone changed to alluring and sent shivers up Ciel's spine. He shuddered once more and wanted to push the captain away, but he was struck frozen when he got trapped in the captain's gaze.

The captain's eyes were losing their hardened touch and appeared less unnerving as they peered down at the teen. A sly hand crawled over to cradle Ciel's chin and his skin was lightly brushed by the captain's thumb, resulting in more shivers from the stunned teen.

"Or perhaps you'd like me to come up with something now?" Sebastian inquired, lowering his tone while continuing to gently caress the teen's chin. "It's your choice."

"My . . ." Ciel mumbled, unable to speak further. It was becoming hot and his body was aching for something while his mind was breaking away. His mind conquered and he shook his head, managing to pull himself away from the captain's touch.

"What the hell!?" Ciel demanded, shooting out of the chair. He glared at the captain whom was taken aback, but was nonetheless amused by the teen's reaction.

"My apologies," Sebastian remarked, but that smile stayed as if he was mocking the fuming teen.

"Yeah, right." Ciel muttered, gritting his teeth to supplement his disapproval. "If there's one thing that I want the choice of is to be excused."

"Hmm," Sebastian frowned slightly, raising an eyebrow at the proposal. "So you choose to return to you cell rather then finish your meal?"

"Yes." Ciel bluntly replied, he felt too disgusted to eat anymore and wanted to leave immediately.

"Very well, then." Sebastian said understandably, thought there was a hint of disappointment in his tone. He then gestured a hand towards the door. "You're excused."

Once Sebastian said that, Ciel stormed out of the cabin but was quickly spotted by Finny who was waiting outside. Finny ran up to the cross teen, catching his arm before he ran off too far.

"What happened?" Finny asked, lightly tugging Ciel's arm.

"Get me back to the cell," Ciel spat, his face contorted with repulsion. "And tell your captain that I refuse to see him again."

"What happened?" Finny asked again, his eyes widening from the sudden exclamation. "He . . .he couldn't have hurt you. He said he wouldn't—"

"He didn't hurt me," Ciel said, "I just don't want to see him again."

"Ciel . . ." Finny mumbled, worried about what exactly had happen but Ciel didn't want to talk anymore.

"Okay, I'll take you back."

x~x~x~x~x

"Master Vincent!" One of the servants, Tanaka rushed down the hall with a letter in his trembling hand. Vincent turned to Tanaka and his face paled when he saw the shaken demeanor of the old servant. Vincent's attention fell to the letter in the servant's hand and he snatched it out to read.

"No," Vincent's eyes darted back and forth; rereading to make sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him. Tanaka stood by his master and helplessly watched him reread the letter over and over. Tanaka rested a hand on Vincent's shoulder, but was well aware that wasn't going to ease his now stiffened posture. Vincent's hands scrunched the letter and his fingers easily ripped through parts of the parchment.

"Is something wrong?" Claude rushed into the hall, but halted to see his master's stiffening form. His eyes widened gradually, Vincent was able to keep his composure well and now he was crumbling before him.

"What happened?" Claude demanded, now standing in front of Vincent. The senator picked his head up to see his other servant and he said: "Ciel . . . he's been kidnapped by the Dark Crow."

"What?" Claude gaped, first turning to the old servant and then back to his master. "The Dark Crow . . .what do they want with Ciel?"

"They want ransom," Vincent's alarm transitioned to frustration, now crumbling the letter in his hands. "They're taking him to the island of Elba and they promise that they won't hurt him. But I'm not trusting those bastards . . .I won't pay them, but I will get my son back."

"Mater Vincent," Tanaka started, his hand still resting on Vincent's shoulder. "They could hurt the young master if we don't give them what they want."

"Not unless I get the Emperor's aid," Vincent stated firmly, pulling his shoulder away from the servant's touch and turned around. "I must inform him immediately." He then hurried off with his servants trying to catch up. Vincent clenched his hands into fists and gritted his teeth.

"There won't be any mercy."


	5. Chapter 5

Vincent was led down a long hallway by guards on both his left and right. Their demeanors were entirely stiff and their facial features lacked expressions. The guards walked in sync as if they were mirror images of each other, they even carried their spears in the same upright positions and occasionally tapped them into the mosaic floor at the same time.

The hall was adorned with a lineup of columns that reached towards the vaulted ceiling. Large open windows from a dome allowed the sun's light to flood in. The light illuminated the mural paintings embellishing the walls. The paintings consisted of colorful figures of people and animals dancing and enjoying themselves in a paused utopia, but reality right now wasn't at all a paradise.

Vincent was quiet as his sharp eyes focused on the double golden doors at the end of the hall. The letter was still clutched in his hand, it didn't appear that it ever left the senator's grasp. Anger fueled in his eyes, the anticipation to tell the emperor everything and bring the pirates down brought his heart to pound and his blood to flow fast through him.

The guards soon opened the doors and Vincent was the first to enter. The guards followed him in and closed the doors right after. They had proceeded into the spacious audience chamber where the emperor was sitting on his marble throne. A couple of other guards were stationed at his side and were stiff as statues. They briefly looked over at Vincent before turning to their ruler. The emperor leaned forward; hand cupped around his chin and gradually stroked his beard. The rings that adorned his wrinkled fingers gleamed from the sun that poured its fullest into the chamber.

"Ah, Senator, what brings you here to my palace?" The emperor asked. He looked at the senator curiously with his keen gray eyes. His busy eyebrow perked upward, curious to know of Vincent's sudden visit.

"Excuse me for my abruptness, Sire." Vincent walked down a regal carpet before standing in front of the steps supporting the throne. He looked up at the emperor whom appeared much taller on his throne. The senator then revealed the letter in his hand; the sun's light practically melted into it. "But I receive this letter awhile ago . . .it's from the Dark Crow pirates, they've kidnapped my son."

The emperor's eyes widened. "What? Let me see." He demanded, throwing out his hand to receiver letter. His curiosity changed to urgency, then to rage as he read the letter. He inhaled sharply, his eyes looked like they were going to bulge from his now reddened face. When he was done, he looked at the senator and said: "If you're asking for my help, than I will oblige."

"Yes, thank you, Sir." Vincent nodded, feeling some relief falling on his chest. "I'll give you anything in return, anything at all."

"All I want is for those pirates to be stopped, and to watch the execution of their captain." The emperor confirmed, the red on his face faded but anger lingered in his narrowed eyes. "They were foolish to tell us their location, and now we can finally track them down. I'll send you one of my best generals to help you find them and your son."

The emperor glanced down at the letter again. "Elba, huh . . .I haven't been there, but I heard that the iron found in the mines are used to build some of my army's weapons and armor." He muttered mainly to himself while rubbing his chin. He then smoothed out the letter and folded it neatly. He passed it over to a guard before facing the senator.

"I'm hoping that you're not considering on paying the ransom." The emperor frowned, now teasing the grayish strands of his curly beard.

"No," Vincent strictly said, clutching his hands into fists. "I'm not giving a single coin to those pirates."

"Good, excellent." The Emperor continued to stroke his beard, nodding at the senator's proclamation. "Now, let's not delay any longer."

The Emperor pulled himself from his throne and descended the short flight of steps. He walked down the hall with his long white and gold robes trailing behind him. The Emperor gestured for Vincent to follow and they ventured out.

"Thank you so much again, Sire." Vincent said, holding a hand to his chest respectfully. "It's an honor to have your support, it truly is."

"Of course," the emperor exchanged a small smile. "Your son appears to be a nice young man, it would ashame if anything bad happens to him. And this is our chance to finally capture those pirates, so I will certainly do everything in my power to assist you."

The two ventured back into the hall and soon entered outside where they traveled down a long walkway around the palace. Servants paused their work to greet the emperor and senator once they walked pass them. The nobles gave nods of acknowledgements and continued onward until they reached the entrance court.

There was a group of men riding on horseback, and one man in particular was yelling out orders to them while his horse trotted ahead. He appeared quite young to be a general, but his sharp eyes and firm physique spoke volume of his capability. Once he saw the Empeor, he instantly saluted.

"Sire." The general acknowledged.

"General Bardroy, I have a very important task for you." the emperor stated, piquing the general's interest immediately.

"What is it?" Bard asked, mounting off his horse and marched up to the emperor and silent senator. He was exceptionally curious of what the Emperor had in store for him, but kept his excitement for a task intact.

"Senator Phantomhive's son, Ciel had been captured by the Dark Crow pirates." The emperor began, first gesturing a hand to Vincent and then folded his hands behind him. "They're taking him to the island of Elba, so I want you and your men to go to the island, rescue Ciel and capture the pirates. You may kill some if you wish, but I want the captain _alive_. Understand?"

Bard smirked at the proposal. "Yeah, 'course, Sire. It's been a while since I dealt with those criminals." He turned to Vincent and gave a reassuring look. "I'll get your son back and take care of those pirates. You got nothing to worry about!"

"Well then," the emperor said, giving the general a quick nod. "You should get your men ready then."

Bard saluted once more with a boost of confidence. "I will!"

x~x~x~x~x

Ciel was curled up in his bed. The cold night air disturbed his sleep so he lay awake, not knowing how long he lay restless and shivering from the inevitable cold. He huddled the sheet closer to him, but all it did was cause his nose to scrunch from the repulsive smell. His clothes were dirty too, but he'd rather stay in his clothes than be left in the nude. The only thing left that identified him as a noble was his clothes anyways. If he took that away, he'd be nothing.

Ciel stared at the wall that his bed was propped against. Deep scratches left from frenzied fingers were left engraved into the wood. Blood splotches were also detectable when the moon's pale light hit the wall. They were just dark spots now; staining the wood that was chipped so much by the scratches that Ciel wondered how many times did prisoners try to escape. How many times foolishly graze the wall before their fingertips nearly broke from them?

The teen was smart enough not to do the same. He wasn't going to trail himself to do such a pointless act that would only result in more pain. The thought of being locked up down here was enough, and he feared that it'd get worse. No matter what any of the crew or captain said, he wasn't going to believe in their words. He'd rather stay in his cell than be near any of them, even though he hated being in here so much.

He squeezed the sheet tighter around him; desperate to keep warm as another unwanted breeze shook his petit form. Ciel groaned, cursing the cold that couldn't go away. He tried sleeping again, shutting his eyes shut and focusing on nothing but the privilege to escape this cell in slumber.

However, the opening of the latched door terminated the sleep that he nearly took advantage of. He glared over to see Finny climbing down the creaking ladder, carrying a candle in his hand. The candle's orange-yellow light softly skimmed the rusty cell bars when Finny advanced slowly. The teen found a wooden stool and propped himself up before the bars, holding the candle in his hands. Ciel narrowed his eyes at the teen, whose face and eyes were highlighted by the candle's glow.

"What are you doing here?" Ciel asked, hardening his glare at the teen on the other side of the bars.

"I couldn't sleep, I didn't expect you would either." Finny responded, rocking the candleholder subtly in his hands.

"I almost did until you arrived." Ciel dryly remarked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Finny mumbled, looking down at the small flame dancing on top of the tall stalk. "I'll get going then . . . is there anything I can get for you?"

". . .Another sheet." Ciel responded, showing off the dirty old sheet to confirm its lack of comfort.

"Yes, certainly. I'll see if I can find another." Finny nodded abruptly and stood up from the stool. "Won't be long." The teen winked before briskly walking off, climbing back through the door and disappeared.

Ciel sighed and turned his back on the bars, facing the chipped wall. He closed his eyes once more, hoping that Finny would be quieter this time when he returns.

Finny returned to the upper deck, grateful to know that he was the only person around, but he still had to be quiet. So Finny snuck around before grabbing a fresher sheet from a closet before returning to the deck. He carried the folded sheet securely in his arms and turned to take the sheet to Ciel, but was halted by a chilling voice.

"What are you doing, Finnian?"

Finny's head jerked around to see Sebastian approaching into the moon's pale light. His copper eyes peered at Finny suspiciously, waiting for a response from the stunned crewmember whom was taken by surprise of the captain's appearance. Finny feigned his alarm by pulling up a small smile

"Ciel needed another sheet, the one that he has is really dirty, he could get sick sleeping in it." Finny said.

"Hmm," Sebastian walked closer to Finny until his shadow practically engulfed him. The captain glanced down at the sheet and then yanked it from Finny's arms. "Go back to your cabin, I'll deliver the sheet." Sebastian said and started off.

"Wait," Finny gasped, and then gulped when Sebastian's eyes caught onto his, but the teen abruptly said. "It would be best if I go back."

"Are you disobeying an order?" Sebastian inquired; his tone hardened and caused a shiver to tore through the now trembling teen.

"N—no, I'm sorry, Captain." Finny bowed his head respectfully. "But Ciel . . .he said that he doesn't want to see you."

"Oh?" Sebastian's eyebrow perked up at the statement. "Is that so? Well, that's too bad for him then." Sebastian said and then waved a hand off, gesturing for Finny to go. "Return to your cabin now, I'll take it from here."

"But—"

"It's an order." Sebastian remarked sternly before he marched away, leaving Finny who shivered uncomfortably from the order. He watched helplessly as Sebastian disappeared while he chewed his lip.

Sebastian climbed down the ladder with the sheet hung over his shoulder. When he came down, he walked to the cell and unlocked the door, quietly swinging it open. He saw Ciel with his back towards him; motionless with loose arms huddled around his quivering body. He discarded the old sheet, which now lay crumpled on the ground.

Sebastian stared wordlessly at Ciel's hunched back. The candle's light barely slipped passed the bars, so the moon's dim rays softly traced across the teen's form. Sebastian guessed that Ciel was now sleeping since he didn't react from the cell door opening.

The captain then took a few steps forward, finding that Ciel was indeed in slumber. Sebastian gently draped the sheet over Ciel, the fabric fluttered in the air briefly before it covered his curled body. The teen subconsciously flinched by the new, but comfortable touch before his body fell into relaxation. His breathing was more eased by the support of newfound warmth. It was still chilly though, but the teen will manage.

Sebastian waited a while to see if the teen would wake up. His body shuffled subtly on occasion and his head turned before lying back on the bed, but that was it. The captain's eyes flickered by the moon's light as they peered down at the sleeping teen. He looked so peaceful as opposed to the last time they met. Sebastian smirked to himself, wondering if Ciel was going to act that way towards him for the entire time. He certainly found him better in this state, so calm and quiet like a child.

Sebastian lowered a hand to Ciel's face and brushed off a few strands of hair. Ciel subconsciously twitched at the touch before settling back down. He mumbled something in his sleep, but it was inaudible to hear. The captain smirked again, curious to know what he was dreaming about. Whatever it was, it was certainly much better than here.

The captain soon left the cell with the dirty sheet wrapped in his arms. He then carefully closed the door and locked it without disturbing the teen. Before Sebastian headed up the ladder, he turned back to Ciel once more to find him still deep in slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi, ****thanks for the support so far for this fic. But ****lately I've been feeling a bit discouraged. I haven't had that many reviews latly and the reviews have been decreasing each chap, so it makes me feel like I'm losing some of your interests. I know I shouldn't relay on reviews, and it's dumb to do that, but they make me feel optimistic about the fic and I enjoy reading your reactions. I want this fic to go well, and reviews will be most appreciative, thanks~ **

**Warning: Tragic backstories and physical abuse **

* * *

The warm breeze teased the large white sails after they were freed from their bonds. General Bard looked up at the sails with a smirk; a piece of wheat was lazily perched between his curved lips. Bard plucked out the wheat from his mouth and turned to some of his men. The soldiers were taking some boxes to the lower deck of the navel ship. The ship was now sailing out of the dock and heading straight to the sea.

The morning sun blazed down on the sailing ship and Bard shielded his eyes while he looked up. It wasn't too hot out, so the confident general stayed out in the sun while the rest of his men unpacked their equipment below. Bard propped himself on a barrel, stuck the piece of wheat back between his lips and looked out at the open water. The water was calm and it gently pushed itself against the vessel to make it sway. The sky was clear and it didn't look like it was going to rain any time soon, a storm would've been a hindrance and Bard didn't want to face any obstacles. Dealing with those pirates would be enough.

Bard twisted the piece of wheat around his lips. His teeth grinded on the end and his lips pursed upward and twisted around, grinding some more. The wheat's texture was plain and stale, but the general somehow found fondness by chewing it, it lessened his boredom. Bard then stretched an arm and heard a soft crack emit from his elbow. He flexed his arm around and flicked his wrist, relieving some tension in his bones. The general repeated in the other arm, but stopped midway when a voice behind him spoke.

"How long will it take to get to the island, General?"

Bard swerved his head around and the wheat tipped out of his mouth, gawking to see Vincent. "Se—Senator!? What are you doing here?"

"I want to help get my son back." Vincent proclaimed firmly, walking over to Bard's side and stared out into the weaving waters. "I can't just sit around home and do nothing—"

"But it will be dangerous!" Bard exclaimed, throwing out his arms. His eyes looked like they could bulge out of their sockets and he jumped off the barrel.

"I don't care." Vincent calmly said; he leaned his body against the deck's ledge, locking his attention on the waves below."I want to see my son and get him back safe and sound. But I swear, if I see even a scratch on him, those bastards are dead. They're all dead." Vincent emphasized the last words while gritting his teeth. He clenched his hands into fists and his jaw tightened. He breathed in sharply and eyed Bard whom quickly assured:

"No worries, Senator, we'll be sure that they get what they deserve." Bard promised with huge, energetic nods that were accompanied with a broad smirk. But he paused when he saw that Vincent wasn't reacting and so the general coughed nervously with mild embarrassment.

"Uh, anyways . . ." Bard cleared his throat and jumped back to sit on the barrel. "It sounds like you really have something against these pirates if you are so determined enough to face them. That takes a lot of guts, especially for someone who doesn't have a military background. If it was some other senator, he would wait patiently at home and pray to the gods. Did something else happen?"

Vincent drew out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes trailed upward before falling back to the rising and falling water. His mind appeared to go elsewhere for a while, drifting like the constant waves rocking the ship. Vincent questioned whether to speak to the attentive general, but finally decided to give in before Bard's curiosity overstayed.

". . .Several years ago," Vincent spoke quietly, his usual strong composure was faltering just slightly as he spoke. "Pirates attacked a town that my family and I were visiting. Everything was in flames, people were running and screaming and it was chaotic. So many lives were lost . . . including my beloved wife, Rachel, and our unborn child."

Bard's eyes gradually widened and he opened his mouth slowly, utterly appalled. "I. . . I'm sorry to hear that, that's terrible. . ." Bard swallowed hard, shaken by this surprise news. He knew that Vincent didn't have a wife, but wasn't aware of how she died. Nor did he knew that she was pregnant. Bard couldn't even imagine the despair that the senator and Ciel went through.

"How old was your son?" Bard asked.

"Ciel was two at the time, so he doesn't remember that night." Vincent paused before the following words tumbled to a quieter tone. "He also doesn't know that he was going to be an older brother. I could never tell him, I didn't want to upset him more. It's hard enough that he never knew his mother." Vincent explained, his voice shaking but Bard was able to tell what he said. Every word was painful to hear and Bard felt like he was losing his balance on the barrel. Bard leaned himself back so he didn't fall, continuing to listen. He was then taken aback when heard a chuckle coming from the poor senator, but it sounded broken.

"I always remember the time that Ciel touched his mother's stomach and laughed when he felt a kick." Vincent miserably chuckled at the memory. "He was so happy . . .and I just," Vincent paused once more, his short-lived chuckle halted. "I just could never tell him."

"Geez," Bard uncomfortably scratched the back of his head, "well, I don't blame you for not telling him . . .have you ever found out the pirates who did it?"

"No . . . but I want to get some sort of justice by capturing the Dark Crow pirates and saving my son."

"I see," Bard glanced up at the sky and watched a few seagulls soar across. "Well then, I won't stop you. You want to catch those pirates more than I, and I respect your courage."

"Thank you, General." Vincent said, providing a vague smile before it dropped and returned his attention to the sea. "I promise that I won't be a hindrance during the journey."

"You won't," Bard hopped off of the barrel and clasped a hand onto the senator's shoulder. "Actually, we could use another officer, do you know how to use a sword?"

"No, of course not." Vincent weakly shook his head, but then paused as he started to reconsider. "But I guess it would be helpful if I knew some basic skills."

"Great!" Bard exclaimed, casually patting Vincent's back who wasn't amused by the cheerful act. The general only wanted to make Vincent feel better, but the senator just looked at Bard questionably with twitchy eyebrows. Bard turned his head, seeing that some of his men were out and about, so he suddenly called to one of them.

"Diederich, come over here!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Vincent turned to see another man around his age armed with a sword. He marched over to the general and immediately saluted him. His sharp eyes were narrowed as they briefly glanced at Vincent and widened slightly at Bard, awaiting an order.

Bard subtly nudged Vincent's elbow and smirked towards the officer. "Senator Vincent would like to learn a few moves from you, care to show him?"

"I guess," Diederich trailed with a frown, easily unsure as he said, "but isn't it odd to teach a senator how to fight? It's not exactly proper."

"It'll only be a few basic moves," Bard shrugged, ignoring the statement and unsheathed his sword. He handed it over to Vincent whom was taken by surprise. Vincent's hand leisurely curled around the golden handle and he clutched onto it securely. He felt a jolt of power just by holding the weapon, and confidence rushed through his fidgety fingertips that traced the rich material.

"Wait, hold on." Diederich crossed his arms, upholding his frown towards the general. "Lets not get too hasty about this, now. Lets go over some rules first." Diederich said and pulled out his own sword. "Watch me first." He instructed and brought himself into a defensive position with his sword shielding his chest area.

"You must keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight. If you falter, you can easily be taken down. You must be quick and alert." Diederich switched to a offensive position as he suddenly shot the sword forward with an outstretched arm. "We're dealing with pirates, and they are ruthless and they show no mercy. So you always have to be ready to defend yourself and strike. Don't rush in head on though, that would be reckless, but you have to be on your guard and attack when necessary."

Vincent nodded understandably and glanced down at the sword in his secured hand. He tightened his grip, stressing the fact that he won't fail no matter what.

x~x~x~x~x

Ciel blinked his eyes open and the first rays of the sun nearly blinded him. The teen winced by the glare and gave himself a moment to adjust himself before comfort settled on his drowsy eyes. The teen stretched his arms, feeling unusually relieved despite that he'd spent the night in this crummy cell. Perhaps it was the new sheet that had given him warmth throughout the chilly night. Ciel lazily picked at the fabric, it was soft and comforting as opposed to the other sheet. A small smile slipped across his lips before he heard the door above open. Finny was climbing down the ladder with a plate of two slices of bread. Once he arrived to Ciel's cell, he greeted him with a smile and slid the food through the small slot.

"How did you sleep last night?" Finny asked, sitting back on a stool and pulled his knees up towards him.

"Good, strangely . . ." Ciel mumbled, glancing down at the sheet. "Thanks for giving me the sheet."

"Hah," Finny chuckled a bit, "No problem." He smiled, deciding not to tell Ciel that Sebastian was the one to actually deliver the fabric. Finny assumed that Ciel was asleep anyways during that time, but it was best not to tell him incase the teen becomes angry with him. Ciel looked contented now and it added some relief to the blond whom kept smiling, but Ciel was looking at him oddly.

"Is something funny?" Ciel inquired.

"No, it's nothing." Finny shook his head, sensing his cheeks burning from embarrassment. He turned his attention to Ciel's food. "You should eat your breakfast."

"Mmm," Ciel frowned and picked up the plate, the bread looked dry but he nonetheless broke off a piece and chewed it. Ciel quietly ate, though grimaced faintly at the taste that he was sure wasn't going to satisfy his hunger. While Ciel ate, he noticed the bruise that he'd seen before on Finny's arm. The bruise had a bluish tint now that blended into the purple and it made his arm look frail.

"What happened to your arm?" Ciel asked.

"Oh," Finny blinked, as if forgetting about the bruise but remembered by lifting his arm to see. "Oh, this . . . well, when the Captain isn't on deck, Grey is the one who gives out orders, and if we disobey him, or do something wrong, then we're punished. I clumsily made a mistake so Grey hit me really hard. But I'm fine, it just hurts a bit." Finny brought up a smile, but Ciel wasn't buying it.

"He shouldn't have done that . . ." Ciel muttered. "Does the Captain do the same?"

"Yes . . .but not so much as Grey, he's more ruthless."

"I see," Ciel said and slowly ate another piece of bread, eyeing the bruise again. Finny glanced back at his bruise too and shook his head, waving off his hand.

"It'll heal in a couple of days, there's nothing to worry about." Finny remarked.

"I'm not worried." Ciel rolled his eyes to the side and tore off another piece of bread. "Why are you even on this ship anyways? You seem too nice to be a pirate."

"Hah, thanks." Finny chuckled, rubbing his neck. "Well . . .it's a bit of a long story, but I didn't exactly have a good family, they were abusive and kept me away from the outside world. After so many years, I found my chance to escape. I ran away and joined the Dark Crow pirates. Although . . .it did take a while to convince them that I wanted to be part of their crew. I had to do a lot of dirty work for them and such . . ." Finny trailed, his tone dropping slightly as his eyes looked towards the hole.

A small smile then curved on his lips. "But y'know . . . it was fine in the end. I got to finally see the outside world and explore what's out there. Instead of being locked up and crammed in a small-oh, sorry." Finny stopped himself, mentally slapping himself at the realization of what he said to the locked up teen.

"It's fine," Ciel said, dismissing the mistake like it was nothing.

"No, no, I really shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry!" Finny cried, clasping his hands together and adding pressure to his palms. "I'm sorry . . ." Finny's shoulders slumped and he struck a hand to the side of his face. His back hunched over and he bowed his head pathetically. "It's awful, isn't it? Being locked up like this . . . I know that feeling all too well." Finny mumbled and slowly pulled himself off the stool. With his head still low, he revealed a small key in the palm of his hand.

Ciel was taken aback and looked at Finny who walked over to the door, beginning to unlock the cell.

"What are you—"

"You should get out for a bit, have some fresh air." Finny stated while unlocking the door. He swung the door open and smiled towards Ciel who was struck speechless at the offer. Finny reached out his hand, stretching the encouragement. But Ciel stayed where he was, sitting in the midst of the sheet that was crumbled underneath his motionless legs.

"Don't worry, it'll only be a couple of minutes." Finny said, taking a few steps forward into the cell. "If anyone asks, I'll tell them that you're sea sick. It does get very rocky down here, so it's best to stay out on the deck where it doesn't feel so rough."

"What about the Captain?" Ciel asked, uneasiness still tugging him back. "Wouldn't he know that you're lying?"

"He's eating breakfast in his cabin, you'll be back here before he's done."

Ciel huffed out a drawn out sigh, skeptical about this. He stared apprehensively at Finny's smiling, warm face. The teen looked so confident about this, and that confidence was gradually pushing Ciel forward, beckoning him that he should go. It'll only take a couple of minutes anyways.

"Fine," was Ciel's short answer and he picked himself off the bed, allowing some of the sheet to fall and slump onto the floor.

"Good!" Finny cheerfully said, but then halted when he suddenly exclaimed: "Oh, hold on." Finny quickly exited the cell and soon returned with a strand of rope. "We should tie your hands, just so no one thinks that you're gonna escape. I'll tie your hands when we're on deck so you can climb the ladder."

"Right." Ciel muttered under his breath. He glanced up at the ladder, which Finny had now started to climb. Once up, Ciel followed tow, but his footing fell a bit short as a tinge of wariness still clung to his shaky legs. Ciel might as well not pretend to be sick since he was feeling somewhat nauseous.

When Ciel finally got on the deck, he faced Finny who took his hands and tied them together with the rope. Finny avoided from tying too tightly, but secured it enough so that Ciel couldn't break free incase a pirate wanted to inspect.

"Okay, you're good." Finny nodded and then looked around their surroundings. Some of the pirates were occupied of their own tasks, unaware that their prisoner was on deck. Sebastian was nowhere to be found, but Grey and Phipps were stationed at one of the masts, talking amongst themselves.

"Let's go over here." Finny led Ciel to another side of the ship, away from the Captain's top members. The two teens stood next to a ledge, looking over the vast sea. The warm breeze swept across their face and played with their hair and clothes. It felt nice and Ciel couldn't help but reveal a small smile.

"Ah, you're smiling!" Finny exclaimed, pointing to Ciel whose face was reddening with embarrassment.

"No I'm not." Ciel turned away while Finny chuckled until the teen glared at him. Finny smiled and glanced up at the sky. The sun was perched on puffy white clouds and a couple of birds flew overhead.

"It's really nice here." Finny breathed in the air and planted his arms on the ledge, leaning forward to catch more of the teasing wind.

"Yeah . . ." Ciel agreed softly, his reluctance subsided as he looked out at the sea. The wind continued to sweep around them and their hair billowed like crazy. Finny released another playful chuckle, enjoying himself wholeheartedly while Ciel simply smiled as he found some contentment too.

Unfortunately, it didn't last.

"Hey!"

Finny and Ciel jerked up in alert and turned to see Grey and Phipps standing before them. Ciel eyed the whip that was bounded to Grey's hip and then focused back on the pirates' stern faces. The two pirates glared at the teens and Grey stomped his foot profoundly into the floorboard.

"What are you doing up here?" Grey shoved a finger at Ciel's direction and he flinched, too stunned to speak so Finny quickly stepped in.

"Ciel is—"

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the prisoner." Grey barked, his finger still aimed at Ciel's direction. "Speak. _Now_."

"I . . .I have sea sickness." Ciel weakly stuttered. "I needed to get up here, it was getting so rocky below." Ciel made himself sound ill at ease to convince the pirates. He bowed his head, avoiding from looking at the two as he hoped that his lie worked.

Grey and Phipps exchanged peculiar looks at each other for a while before Grey spoke again. "Alright, then . . . we'll get you a bucket so you can gag into. Phipps, take him back to his cell."

"Wait," Finny suddenly said, "Ciel would prefer to stay—"

"Am I even talking to you?" Grey hissed, turning to Finny with a hardened glare. Finny swallowed hard as if there was a lump in his throat. Grey dismissed the scared teen and turned to Phipps. "Get the prisoner below deck and give him a bucket."

Phipps quietly nodded and beckoned Ciel to follow him. But Ciel stood there immobilized until Grey yanked the teen forward, pushing him to follow the other pirate. Ciel quietly obliged and looked over his shoulder to see Finny giving off a small apologetic look. But that innocent look promptly cut to trepidation as Grey shoved Finny to the ground and unraveled his whip.

"Wha—" Ciel's voice was suppressed by the crackling of Grey's whip striking the floorboard. He stared in horror as the pirate slammed a foot onto Finny's chest, adding intense pressure onto his ribs.

"You are really getting on my nerves, you know that?" Grey muttered through gritted teeth, now lifting his whip high above him. "Let this be a lesson to you."

Grey immediately tossed down the whip without giving the chance for Finny to speak or release the smallest breath. The petrified teen could only watch as the whip fell.

_Crack!_


End file.
